trichotomy

[ trih-kot-uh-mee ]

noun

, plural tri·chot·o·mies.

1. division into three parts, classes, categories, etc.
2. an instance of such a division, as in thought, structure, or object.
3. the three-part division of human beings into body, spirit, and soul.

trichotomy

/ ˌtrɪkəˈtɒmɪk; traɪˈkɒtəmɪ /

noun

1. division into three categories
2. theol the division of man into body, spirit, and soul

Derived Forms

• trichotomic, adjective
• triˈchotomously, adverb

Other Words From

• trich·o·tom·ic [trik-, uh, -, tom, -ik], tri·choto·mous adjective
• tri·choto·mous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of trichotomy¹

1600–10; < New Latin trichotomia < Greek trích ( a ) in three parts + New Latin -tomia -tomy

Word History and Origins

Origin of trichotomy¹

C17: probably from New Latin trichotomia , from Greek trikhotomein to divide into three, from trikha triple + temnein to cut

Example Sentences

As agonizing as this emergency decision would be, the setup plays like a false trichotomy, compounded by ancillary ironies contrived for dramatic purposes.

From New York Times

Typical Connectives but, while, however, nonetheless, yet despite, even though One other major coherence relation doesn’t easily fit into Hume’s trichotomy, attribution: so-and-so believes such-and-such.

From Literature

‘They knew that dichotomy, and not trichotomy, was for our times the law of the nation’s life.’

From Project Gutenberg

With these views agree the later doctrines of the Bible as to the "trichotomy" of "body, soul, and spirit" in man, and of the added influence of the Spirit of God as acting on humanity.

From Project Gutenberg

Valentinus avails himself of the notion of the trichotomy of human nature, and gives a place for the bulk of Christians, those who did not embrace Gnosticism; cf.

From Project Gutenberg